Our style of brewing has always been about taking chances. It’s an extension of our “what-if” mentality, wherein we ask ourselves what would happen if we did things differently in the brewhouse, such as fermenting with a different strain of yeast or, in the case of this beer, incorporating whole-leaf green tea imported from Japan. The answer, embodied in this IPA when we first released it in 2011, was something truly magnificent, delicious and, as proven by the reissued edition you hold in your hand in 2015, worth brewing again. But what if we changed it? Yes, it’s riskier to change something most people thought to be liquid perfection, including our two-time collaborators Bryan Baird of Japan’s Baird Brewing Company and Toshi Ishii, a former Stone brewer and the founder of Guam’s Ishii Brewing Co., but we’ve found that, when approached with cautious curiosity and logic-driven creativity, reward often follows such risk. So, in bringing this IPA back to life, we followed the same recipe developed four years ago, but exchanged Pacifica hops from New Zealand, a hop-growing region that was becoming popular in 2011, for Helga hops from Australia, an area with a burgeoning botanical scene right now. The result is an IPA that’s as bright, herbaceous and bitingly hoppy as the one that’s had our fans requesting its return ever since its depletion from store shelves, but with a modern, hop-driven twist that makes this second draft unique and tasty in its own right.

Beer: Ratings & Reviews

Reviews by kkipple:

Well hot diggity-cakes, this is another gem outta Stone... I don't know if they've changed up brewers recently or what, but this is NICE stuff... real quick like because I am going to revisit this. Note: I love green tea and drink it weekly.

A. Gorgeous mandarin orange, clear but with lots of particulate (tea?). Short white head leaves no lace. Bubbly.

S. Smells like a SN Southern Hemisphere DIPA! Great use of hops here, hops everywhere, green and wet and floral-spice. More towards the grapefruit side of things, but there is something here for everyone. Succulent sweet sugary malt balances. Unique and fresh smelling, vibrant. Excellent.

T. Yes, you CAN taste the green tea. It's subtle, and mostly in the finish, but it is there. Otherwise you get a nicely put together malty, dense brew with an absolute wallop of flowery, hoppy greenery. Never too bitter, always in balance, neither astringent nor too sweet. I love New Zealand hops!

M / O. On the thicker side of DIPAs, lesser carbonation, but this is easy to drink. Alcohol is barely there, finish is nice characterful (for the style) malt and winterfresh-grapefruit hops with that odd Kiwi character. And yes, there is some bittering, soft green tea here. A delight to drink!

I think Stone has hit this one out of the park. One of the better, and unique, Double IPAs I've had in some time. Plus the profits go to Japanese Tsunami relief - bottom line: you can feel good buying this beer.

More User Reviews:

Guess it didn't like the fact that I rated this so much higher than others and is forcing me to write a review...Can't really knock the look, beautiful color and about a 1 inch head. 4.75Smell is just as delicious as the taste! Get that leafy, grassy smell all up in that nose! 4.75Taste? So good! Hop bite at first with that same leafy, green tea, herbal taste on the back end... SOLID 4.75!Feel is nice, big carbonation which I love and could give a 5, but will do 4.75So overall, I don't know why this only gets a 87 so far... It's just as good if not better than the 3 Toppling Goliath beers I just recently tried which are hyped beyond belief.Wonderful beer here!

L - It pours a crystal clear amber color with golden highlights. It is topped with a couple inches of beige head that leaves some lacing.

S - I am surprised by how much this smells like green tea. There is some citrus from the hops, but the aromas flow seamlessly together.

T - Again, I am surprised by how much this tastes like green tea. The hops are more noticeable in the flavor. It starts out like green tea. The citrus comes into the finish to compliment the tea flavor, and I am left with a slight pine taste at the very end. The alcohol is pretty well hidden. I get a little when it warms, but it didn't warm much because I like it so much.

F - Medium and smooth

O - I am still surprised with how much I like this beer. I picked it up on a whim. I am going to get another if it ever stops snowing.

S: The nose is subdued. Some sweet notes and distinctive scents of green tea and floral hops.

T: the malt sweetness and delicious green tea notes seem to bury the hops, though notes of hops linger through the finish. Warming and further sampling yields a more noticeable hop bitterness. Taste is largely malt sweetness, bitter hops, and wonderful green tea flavors. Ever had green tea ice cream? Taste is reminiscent of that dish. Alcohol is well-hidden, save for a light, pleasant burn at the end. My god, I could drink this endlessly.

M: light-bodied, but creamy. Coats the mouth well. A tingle of booze in the nose

O: wow, I liked this far more than I anticipated. This beer really highlights the green tea, but showcases the hops well. A fun drink, and one I'll be seeking out again.

Was really excited to try this after learning that it was made in the past (only once!) with good reception.

Refrigerated for about an hour prior to pouring into tulip glass. Appearance: Honey colored with a beautiful, full frothy head Aroma: Hmm.. not really smelling much, if any, tea. Just some strong, fresh hopsTaste: Matcha (green tea) is strong up front, followed by the hops. Afterwards my breath tastes like matcha... awesomeMouthfeel: Smooth, almost creamy? Carbonation is mediumOverall: The "Green Tea" is not a gimmick; it is not subtle, it is really there and the drink indeed lives up to the name. It's a special IPA for sure. While not for everyone, no one who doesn't like green tea wouldn't try it anyway...

The nose and then taste of this brew counsel a release from unhealthy earthly attachments and to ritualized imbibing establishing a link to the worthy past. Consumption of the beer leads to a sense of peace, until the dry aftertaste leads intuitively to a path of awareness. Hence, it honors the major spiritual influences in modern Japan (Zen, Shinto, and Tao) while satisfying the contemporary American palate.

A beer for a real good cause,I had to buy a few.Poured into a standard pint a medium golden with a tinge of orange,a thinner but well sustained white head atop.Aromas are a little thin with citric hops predominant,not much malt presence there.Flavors are citric hops with the herbalness of green tea coming in late,a biscuit base holds up well into the finish.The green tea for me plays a bigger role than many others who reviewed this beer but its not something over the top,again Iam glad I grabbed a few.

Brewed to help Japan’s Tohoku region disaster relief effort—good ideas come from good people. Dull, hazy golden hue, and a good lacing to boot. Green tea comes through just enough in the nose and lets the hops float around for a while. Smooth, creamy medium body. Green tea flavor sticks to the palate from start to finish. Hops are bold with a thick herbal flavor and more restrained bitterness to let the tea and, well, the beer come through. Mild dry breadiness from the malt. Alcohol is warming but not a bother. Tea flavors and hops linger into the dry finish. An amazing extreme brew for a great cause.

I must have been expecting something else, because Green Tea and Beer do not belong with on another. It was so overwhelming with the Green Tea flavor that I forgot I was drinking beer. It was more like a lightly carbonated Lipton, with a splash of hops. It smelled okay, but man the taste I just couldn't handle.

I would have never thought of using Green Tea in a beer. As a lover of both green tea and IPA's i thought I would give this one a shot. I am not disappointed at all, and I would definitely by this one again.